Saturday showdown: Jacks vs. 'Yotes

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BROOKINGS – For the second time since the two teams joined the FCS, South Dakota State and South Dakota will meet as ranked teams on Saturday as the No. 4 Jackrabbits travel to Vermillion to take on the No. 17 Coyotes.

SDSU, who enters the game 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Missouri Valley, leads the series 54-51-7. The Jacks have beaten the Coyotes (6-3, 4-2) in 10 of the last 11 meetings, but USD won the last meeting between the two teams 24-21 in 2019. Last year’s game was cancelled due to COVID. SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier said the two teams are a lot different than they were two years ago.

“We are using the 2019 film as part of our breakdown, but obviously putting a lot more stock into what [USD] has done more recently. It’s interesting, when I watch the 2019 film, it seems like 10 years ago, not two years ago. But maybe that’s the life of a coach. I don’t know. They have made some changes. Their quarterback is different. They’re playing great, great defense. So it’s going to be a battle,” Stiegelmeier said.

SDSU won the lone matchup when each squad was ranked in 2017 when the No. 5 ranked Jackrabbits beat the No. 16 ranked Coyotes 31-28 in Vermillion.

The Jacks are coming off of their biggest win of the season. They beat then No. 2 ranked and undefeated North Dakota State 27-19 in Brookings last weekend. The Coyotes beat Western Illinois 42-21 on the road in their last game.

Both teams have a lot on the line Saturday. SDSU is fighting for a top-eight seed in the FCS Playoffs, while USD is fighting for a playoff spot. The Jacks finish the regular season with North Dakota next week and if they win out they will likely get a top-eight seed. USD plays at NDSU in the last week and likely needs to win one of its final two games to get into the playoffs.

Stiegelmeier said it should be a great atmosphere in Vermilion on Saturday, but he believes his team is ready for the challenge.

“I’m comfortable [going into this atmosphere] because of our preparation. We’re not going to go in there without having practiced with noise and silent count, directions to shift now and motion now and so on. That’s been kind of built into our system, so ideally you just up your investment into those types of communications the week of a game like this,” Stiegelmeier said.

It will be a battle of great rush offense against great rush defense when the Jacks’ offense is on the field. SDSU is ranked 14th in the FCS in rush yards per game, averaging 209.7 yards per game, while the Coyote defense is 10th in the FCS in rushing yards allowed per game, giving up 94 yards per game.

Last week, the Jacks rushed for 181 yards against the Bison, who give up 86.7 yards per game on the ground. Stiegelmeier said he is confident in his rushing attack right now, but knows it won’t be easy Saturday against the Coyotes.

“I feel good about our running game, but I liken USD to [Northern Iowa] and they are very physical. Their inside linebackers will hit you, their safeties are downhill and are physical. So who knows what’s going to happen. But it’s not going to be easy yards because they hit and separate and get to the ball. I’m really impressed with their defense,” Stiegelmeier said.

SDSU senior running back Pierre Strong Jr. leads the FCS in rushing with 1,142 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. He averages 126.9 rushing yards per game. The Jacks may be getting back their backup running back in sophomore Isaiah Davis who has missed the past seven games with a broken collar bone. Stiegelmeier said Davis will be a game time decision.

USD has a good rushing attack as well. The Coyotes are fourth in the conference in rush yards per game, averaging 189.7 yards per game. Redshirt freshman Travis Theis and true freshman Nate Thomas lead the way in the backfield for the Coyotes. They each average over 70 yards per game with Theis averaging 76 yards per game and Thomas averaging 72.1.

SDSU has an even better rush defense than USD. The Jacks give up just 92.3 yards per game on the ground, which is ninth in the FCS.

The past three meetings in Vermillion have all been within one score. Stiegelmeier said no matter what kind of year each of  the two teams are having, they are going to play hard because it’s a rivalry.

“I think initially [it’s tough to play at the DakotaDome because] they’re a good football program and the game means a lot to both of us,” he said. “When we play Western Illinois it’s an important game, but it’s not a rivalry. It’s not in the same state. There is no bragging rights, and I’m talking about both of us. So that’s part of it. 

“For the team that travels, it’s a day trip, so that’s really unique in Division I sports to travel like that. So I think that’s a bit of a stressor for the visiting team. I think the Missouri Valley is just a tough place to play anywhere and when you add the rivalry to it I think it’s tougher.” 

With two games left and the playoffs looming, Stiegelmeier said that he wants to make sure that his team is focused on one thing. Beating the Coyotes on Saturday.

‘Really our approach every week is 1-0,” Stiegelmeier said. “1-0 on Tuesday, 1-0 on Saturday. That type of mentality. As a coach, you delve into some other things, whether it’s potential playoffs or the crowd or whatever, and bottom line is it’s 1-0. [If we were to treat this game like the playoffs then it’s] 1-0 or you’re done. And when you have that mentality it’s a little different 1-0 mentality in that your goals are over and your opportunities are over. So we were talking 1-0. I’m going to talk to the team and go over the keys and the focus for the week and surely mention that the goal for the week is to go 1-0 against USD.”

Kickoff between the Jacks and Coyotes is scheduled for 1 p.m. You can watch the game on Midco Sports Network or on ESPN+.